Young people today are navigating a rapidly changing world shaped by the green and digital transformations, demographic shifts, and economic uncertainties. They are also more likely to express lower trust in governments than other age groups. To help young people become independent and participate in economic, public and social life, comprehensive whole-of-government approaches, underpinned by robust administrative settings, are needed to promote skills development, access to quality jobs, social inclusion, mental health, and meaningful youth participation and representation. The OECD Recommendation on Creating Better Opportunities for Young People (hereafter the “OECD Youth Recommendation”), adopted in June 2022 by all OECD countries, promotes such a government-wide strategy and provides a series of policy standards to improve outcomes for young people.

To help policy makers implement the OECD Youth Recommendation, the OECD has developed a Youth Policy Toolkit. The Toolkit provides practical, concrete guidance for countries designing and executing policies for young people. It highlights a range of good practice examples from all 38 OECD countries, covering policy areas such as education and skills, employment and entrepreneurship, health and social inclusion, participation and representation in public life, and public governance and intergenerational justice. These practices reflect diverse characteristics of young people, which may differ depending on national circumstances, socio-economic status, geographic area, age, gender, race and ethnicity, indigeneity, migrant status, (dis)ability status and all other identities young people associate with, and their intersections.

Policies need to ensure that all young people, regardless of their background or circumstances, have the opportunity to develop the skills and competencies necessary to thrive in green, sustainable, and increasingly digitalised societies and economies. Efforts need to focus on addressing and mitigating early exit from education, strengthening work-based learning, and providing comprehensive learner orientation and career guidance. Equitable access to post-secondary education, training, and lifelong learning is essential, particularly for young people from under-represented groups. Educators and training staff need adequate training and support.

Policies are needed to promote job creation, reduce barriers to labour market entry and transitions, and ensure that quality jobs are available to all young people, including those in vulnerable and/or disadvantaged situations. Workplaces must be designed to be fair and safe, contributing to healthy and meaningful lives for young people. Strengthened employment services, along with equitable access to entrepreneurship, are vital to ensure young people achieve success in the labour market.

Social inclusion of young people is a priority that extends beyond mere economic outcomes and involves promoting policies that ensure adequate income support and affordable and accessible quality housing, as well as tax systems and benefit policies that make work pay for everybody. Young people in vulnerable and disadvantaged circumstances often require additional support, through close collaboration with regional and local stakeholders and across policy areas. The promotion of both physical and mental health is essential to fostering a more inclusive society.

Strengthening the trust of young people in government and their relationship with public institutions is key for reinforcing democracy. Legal, institutional, and administrative settings can be enhanced to help achieve these objectives. Efforts should be directed towards removing barriers to meaningful youth participation in civic and democratic processes and decision-making, as well as towards increasing youth representation in public institutions and in the public sector workforce. Civic engagement and participation through volunteer service and youth work can also help build more cohesive societies.

Finally, addressing age‑based inequalities and promoting intergenerational justice are strategic priorities for ensuring inclusive prosperity. Improving administrative and technical capacities and reinforcing collaboration across all levels of government are fundamental for providing services that respond to young people’s needs. Improving the collection, use, and sharing of data disaggregated by age, sex, and all other relevant characteristics, as well as promoting an integrated approach to youth policy making and service delivery are essential steps. Moreover, embedding an intergenerational perspective into rule making, public budgeting, public procurement, and infrastructure decision making and delivery can help ensure that policies work for all age groups.

By providing good practice examples for these five interconnected policy areas, the Toolkit offers practical guidance for policy makers and practitioners, equipping them with the tools needed to implement effective policies to help young people achieve their full potential.

The African Youth Cafe is a Non Governmental Organization registered under section 10 of the Non-Governmental Organizations Coordination Act (now Public Benefits Organizations Act ) having been registered as a company since April 7, 2014. The Youth Cafe (TYC) is Africa's largest and most diverse convening community of professionals harnessing youth-led potentials and transforming them into sustainable youth-enabled futures. For over a decade, The Youth Cafe offices have executed more than 45 development cooperation programs backed by 14 distinct donors through service contracts, consultancies, and accountable grants.. These initiatives directly engaged civil society organizations in 13 countries.They represent all 12 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and directly engaged civil society organizations and young people in 22 countries in Africa. It engages over 3,500 member organizations, 1,200 subject matter experts, and over 947,000 individuals aged 18 to 35 virtually from every country in Africa. Its broad membership enables TYC to fill the role of incubator and trusted center of excellence for best practices, tools, and standards for youth development. The Youth Cafe has had operational reach across Africa, and the Nairobi HQ has supported regional focal points in West, East and South Africa.